From your photos and descriptions this place looks really awful Chris. Hopefully this is anomalous? Are there any good aquariums in Japan, or better yet, great ones?
Oh this place was TERRIFYING!!! I'm fairly certain that, for a few yen, I could've ridden the elephant seal like Cal Worthington.
Yes there are great aquariums - the other aquarium in Toba was incredible as was the Osaka Ring of Fire aquarium. I believe I've posted pics...
